Shea Weber Welcomes Brendan Shanahan to Stanley Cup Playoffs

Well, we almost got through the first night of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Just when NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan thought he'd get to sleep without incident, Shea Weber introduced Henrik Zetterberg's head to the glass at Bridgestone Arena.

Let's go to the videotape, so to speak.



No question about this one, kids. Even in the playoffs, and even if Zetterberg is healthy enough to play Friday, that's a one-game suspension.

At least it should be.

Shanahan is in his first year as the head of the NHL's Department of Players Not With The Minnesota Wild Safety. He's generally not done a terrible job, as long as the hits in question don't involve the Wild and he's been extremely accessible and open about his decisions, something that his predecessor was unwilling and incapable of doing.

He's going to have to figure something out here. Quick.

This has to be a suspension. In the video, NBC's Jeremy Roenick compared it to a player using a skate as a weapon. Like this.



That was a two-game ban.

Weber should at least sit for Friday's Game 2 against Detroit. If he doesn't sit, one of the league's whiniest fanbases will actually have an argument for a change. Heck, I'll give them license to crab about it all the way to the golf course after Nashville wins the series. ;)